Chips from a Debate

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXIII, Issue 40, 5 October 1905, Page 1

Chips from a Debate

The groat debate on Homo Rule for Ireland is still proceeding m trie Senate of Ilio Australian Commonwealth. Hut *he cable-man heaieth not, his bmuir tiful oais being caiefully filkxl for the occasion with cotton wool. Here arc a few chips from the latest phase of the debate to hand as wo write (we quote the ' Advocate's ' verbatim report) :—

' Although,' said Senator De Largie, ' the population of Ireland is constantly decreasing, still the taxation is increasing. Let us contrast th« figures for 1820 with the figures for 1904. In 1820 the annual taxation was only £5,500,000, while the population was 6,800,000 ; but in 1904 the annual taxation bad increased to £9,750,000, while the population bad decreased, to 4,100,000. From those figures I draw the inference that in Ireland there is the most disheartening state of affairs that perhaps has been witnessed in modenq history. Ido not 'think that it is rivalled in any] part of Euroipe. Whetn it is remembered that the aininmal taxation has increased by 85 per cent., while the population has decreased by 35 per cent., I think it will be admitted that no other country in Europe presents such a depressing picture.' 'In Ireland to-day,' said Senator Givens, 'on warrant) signed by a magistrate, a man can be dragged along by any policeman, and put into gaol for six months, without a trial, simply because, in the oj inion cf the magistrate, be may be " reasonably .suspected of beuiig a disaffected person." . . Every man in, this Commonwealth, amx! in every other portion of the British Empire, that I know of, with the exception of lieland, when arrested on any charge, must be broujj/ht foefore a magistrate. He has then the right to call a witness in his defence, to be represented by counsel, and he has the right to plead ; but I'll Ireland a' man has no such right.' ♦ These things— amd worse— show what may happen in a country when it is ruled by men who are alien to it in race, in aspirations, and in religion, and when tho people that are governed have absolutely no voice in the eleot'ion of so 1 much as even one man in all the forty^oine State Departments that control them.